Royal Gold Medal County Magistrate

Having chosen an auspicious day, the enthronement ceremony was fast approaching.

A new emperor's ascension was a cause for universal celebration, naturally involving countless formalities and rituals.

Faced with such a momentous occasion, even the usually unrestrained Crown Prince had to restrain himself and patiently learn the proper procedures.

The officials also had their own set of protocols to follow.

Clearly, Fang Zheng Yi, knowing he was just a supporting character, was too lazy to learn these mundane rituals.

When someone from the Ministry of Rites came, he found an excuse to slip away.

Anyway, since the day he entered the court, he hadn't had much contact with the Ministry of Rites. Now that the new emperor was ascending the throne, he only needed to make an appearance on the sidelines.

As long as he didn't speak, no one would pay attention to him.

There were still many matters in Taoyuan County that required his personal attention. Although he wasn't skilled in scientific research, the fragments of memory in his mind could undoubtedly greatly accelerate the progress of research.

When Emperor Jing received the news, he simply said indifferently that there was no need to bother.

His son-in-law was just like that, hopeless.

Moreover, he was now peacefully abdicating, so the enthronement ceremony didn't need to be too solemn. Everything should focus on joy and demonstrating the harmony between father and son.

Even he himself had omitted many rituals. Originally, the officials were supposed to urge him to stay on the throne three times, but he declined twice and then abdicated.

The original intention was to show a mainstream virtue, but now it was all waived.

Perhaps it was because Emperor Jing himself had not fully recovered from his injuries and didn't want to engage in these mundane rituals. More likely, it was the influence of the industrial age, and people's hearts had undergone subtle changes... Even the Ministry of Rites didn't offer much resistance.

......

Finally, the day of the enthronement ceremony arrived.

Li Yuan Zhao, dressed in full regalia, led the assembled officials to worship Heaven and Earth, the ancestral temples, and the nation.

As the procession arrived at Fengtian Hall, the surrounding drums boomed.

When the drumming stopped, the officials adjusted their attire and court robes.

As the second drumbeat sounded, the officials lined up outside the Meridian Gate, standing in order of rank.

Directly until the third drumbeat sounded and ended, the officials entered in order.

Li Yuan Zhao continued forward according to the rituals, accompanied by the resounding sounds of bells and chimes, and music all around...

Inside Fengtian Hall, Emperor Jing was already seated, waiting.

Guo Tianyang, who was beside him, appeared more listless than usual.

Although he knew this day would come sooner or later, he still found it hard to accept when it finally arrived.

Firstly, he had accompanied His Majesty throughout his life and felt sorry for him.

Secondly, it was because of himself.

The Director of the Eastern Depot, a figure of immense power, second to none except for Fang Zheng Yi.

All the power in his hands came from His Majesty, and today, with His Majesty's abdication, it would come to an end...

The only thing that made him happy was that his later years should be free from worry.

Finally, Li Yuan Zhao entered the hall with the officials.

Emperor Jing's gaze immediately fell on him, while his peripheral vision observed the reactions of the officials.

Many old ministers had tears in their eyes...

Emperor Jing couldn't help but feel a sense of melancholy in his heart.

An official from the Ministry of Rites stepped forward to report, and after Emperor Jing responded one by one according to the routine, he glanced at Guo Tianyang.

Guo Tianyang swallowed and understood, saying, "Crown Prince, receive the decree!"

"Your son receives the decree," Li Yuan Zhao knelt.

Guo Tianyang calmly read out the edict that had been prepared earlier.

Li Yuan Zhao took a deep breath, his eyes firm, and said, "Your son receives the decree and thanks Your Majesty for his grace!"

After the words fell, it was the moment of handover between rulers.

Guo Tianyang chanted, and Li Yuan Zhao rose and slowly ascended the Golden Luan Hall step by step.

Emperor Jing's eyes flickered, and he also rose...

At this history-witnessing moment, the hearts of the officials in the hall were in their throats.

Only Fang Zheng Yi was filled with emotion, looking up and seeing Li Yuan Zhao sitting on the Dragon Throne.

This moment was like a dream to him. Scenes from the past flashed through his mind.

He rose from obscurity, entered the heart of power, and stirred up storms in the torrent of history...

Now, he was personally witnessing the end of a great emperor's reign, and at the same time, he would witness the new emperor open up a magnificent history...

Sitting on the Dragon Throne, Li Yuan Zhao looked around, feeling quite uneasy and a little nervous.

He wanted to say something, but with Emperor Jing sitting next to him, he always felt like he was going to get beaten.

Not long ago, in the main hall, he and Lao Fang had been given a sound beating.

Looking around, he finally locked his gaze on Fang Zheng Yi.

Seeing Fang Zheng Yi made him feel less uncertain.

An official from the Ministry of Rites stepped forward to speak, and after another round of conventional etiquette, Guo Tianyang began to read out the list of appointments.

With the new emperor ascending the throne, a batch of officials naturally had to be appointed, and a general amnesty was to be granted to the world. This had been planned by the Ministry of Rites long ago.

The officials were recommended by the court, and Fang Zheng Yi, unsurprisingly, recommended a group of powerful confidants.

After the list of appointments was read out, the officials saluted and shouted "Long live the Emperor" three times.

Li Yuan Zhao's nervousness had also eased a lot, and he smiled and said, "Rise, gentlemen."

After speaking, he glanced at Emperor Jing, as if he had done something wrong.

Emperor Jing glared back fiercely.

Sneaky and rat-eyed! You're the emperor now, what are you nervous about!

The officials were still looking at Li Yuan Zhao with expectation.

Li Yuan Zhao coughed lightly, "Ahem, We... want to be alone for a while, you may all leave."

"........"

Silence, deathly silence!

No one had expected that the new emperor's first words would be this?

A group of officials from the Ministry of Rites were even more despondent, staring at Li Yuan Zhao with a sense of hopelessness.

That's not right! The script wasn't arranged like this!

The crowd looked at each other, tacitly looking towards Emperor Jing beside him.

Emperor Jing nodded slightly.

The officials breathed a sigh of relief and retreated like a tide after a collective salute.

Fang Zheng Yi was also covered in black lines.

The Crown Prince is doing this emperor thing! How is he like a puppet!

Let's go, he probably wants to say something to Emperor Jing alone.

Fang Zheng Yi raised his foot to leave, but Li Yuan Zhao spoke again.

"That Lao... Fang Qing stay, We have something to say to you alone."

After speaking, he glanced at Emperor Jing: "Father Emperor, your son has important matters to discuss with him."

Emperor Jing sighed softly: "Alright, you must be dignified in the future, and you must not act like this again."

After he finished speaking, he gave Fang Zheng Yi a meaningful look and slowly left with Guo Tianyang's support.

In the hall, only the figures of the two remained.

Li Yuan Zhao arched his butt back and leaned on the Dragon Throne, not knowing what he was pondering.

Fang Zheng Yi asked, "Your Majesty, how do you feel?"

Li Yuan Zhao said blankly: "I don't know, We see a blank in the minds of those people below the steps."

"Father Emperor has been the emperor for so many years, but now it's Our turn, We really don't feel good about it..."

Fang Zheng Yi continued: "Then... Your Majesty might as well think about what you want to do in your heart, and discuss it with the officials after you have thought about it."

Li Yuan Zhao thought: "Of course there are, We have a lot of things We want to do. We are thinking, will those people released by the general amnesty cause trouble, should We catch them back next month."

"........"

"Also, Our Great Jing has gained such huge profits overseas, and industry is rising. The proportion of agricultural taxes has become smaller and smaller, less than 10%. Is it possible to completely exempt the people of the world from agricultural taxes?"

"It is entirely possible, but the resistance in this is very great, and it will definitely not be achieved in the short term. This minister suggests that you wait until Your Majesty has mastered more information before discussing it. Rash action may cause shock in the court. What Your Majesty thinks in your heart is very good, but throughout ancient and modern times, no dynasty has dared to do such a earth-shattering event."

"Earth-shattering? Heh, then it seems We have to do it!"

Fang Zheng Yi nodded in agreement.

This is what a wise monarch should consider, but according to the current social productivity, I am afraid that this goal cannot be achieved.

The pattern of interests is also extremely difficult to break. The amount of silver collected from agricultural taxes is not too much when aggregated to the whole country.

But the local areas will definitely not give up.

Li Yuan Zhao touched his chin and murmured: "That's right, before We do great things, We have to change the era name and reset the year number..."

Fang Zheng Yi raised an eyebrow: "Does Your Majesty have any ideas about the era name?"

"The era name established by Father Emperor was Jing He, and now it seems that Father Emperor has fulfilled his original wish. We hope that the Great Jing country will last forever, shining with the sun and the moon... The sun and the moon are bright, why not call it Great Ming, what do you think?"

"Era name... Great Ming?" Fang Zheng Yi blinked, his thoughts flying.

Great Ming...

"Great Ming, good! This minister thinks it's especially good."

"You also think it's good, then there shouldn't be any controversy below." Li Yuan Zhao clapped his hands and smiled, and said: "Actually, there is one more thing that We have been thinking about for many years, since you entered the palace."

Fang Zheng Yi was slightly strange and asked: "Your Majesty, please speak."

"Can you perform that again?"

"Is it coming again?" Fang Zheng Yi understood and said with a dull expression.

"Yes, that's it, hurry up!"

"Your Majesty is divinely wise and martial, accomplished in literature and martial arts, and blessed by the common people... Long live my Emperor, long live, long live..."

"Hahahahahahahaha! ! !"

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